Role overview

Staff Software Engineer- Apache Kafka

Requirements and responsibilities

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What You Will Do:

  • Collaborate with the Apache Kafka community via KIPs, code contributions, reviews, and technical discussions; represent Confluent’s interests while keeping the broader ecosystem in mind.
  • Drive projects that have high complexity requiring technical acumen, a high level of judgement and able to deal with ambiguity.
  • Be a force multiplier and show strong ability to mentor and grow the team with guidance on strong design principles and software architecture.
  • Insist on high standards for the quality of software the team is developing.
  • Communicate with product management and engineering leaders on the roadmap, understand the specs and the product interfaces.
  • Drive operational excellence on reliability improvements, operational events and supportability
  • Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills to influence teams/peers beyond immediate span of control.

What You Will Bring:

  • Track record of delivering complex systems projects with large scope (multi quarter design and development) leading a team of engineers, setting direction for projects, working with stakeholders, adept at using AI tools for coding and working backwards from the customers.
  • 4+ years driving staff-level or equivalent technical initiatives across multiple teams or components.

What You Will Bring:

  • Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, set direction, and align multiple teams around complex technical plans.
  • Track record of mentoring senior engineers and enabling others to deliver on high-risk, high-impact projects.
  • Clear, concise technical communication, both written (design docs, KIPs) and verbal (reviews, cross-team forums).

What Gives You an Edge:

  • Prior experience as a committer/PMC or core maintainer on Apache Kafka or a similar project.
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